no alt text

Bucket list experience:

Last updated: 06 November, 2022
Expert travel writer: Sarah Barrell

Iconic black cabs, scarlet double-decker buses, architectural wonders as train stations, the world’s first underground railway system – London’s transport history is fascinating, even for those without train-spotting tendencies. This surprisingly compelling museum explains how transport development directly influenced the evolution of the city we know today.

There are interactive exhibits (including a tube simulator), original artworks and posters, and the real stars, the collection of heritage vehicles from the 19th and 20th centuries: trains, buses, cabs and more. Plenty of interactive exhibits ensure children will be engaged; the ‘Track it Down’ trail designed by Guardian cartoonist Stephen Appleby helps families to navigate key exhibits.

Recommended itineraries by our writers that include this experience

Price from: £20
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 6+
When: All year around

Getting there & doing it

The nearest Underground station is Covent Garden (Piccadilly Line). There are no guided tours, but there’s plenty of information available as you wander around. Finish with a coffee or drink at the on-site Canteen café/bar, which serves transport-themed cocktails and has 1930s tube-style seating and views over Covent Garden.

When to do it

The museum is open all year round, seven days a week.

Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first

Henrietta Hotel London

London, United Kingdom (UK)

A stylish boutique hotel with a standout bar, superb London Eye views and Covent Garden and the Royal Opera House right outside the door.

Official star rating:

The Savoy Hotel

London, United Kingdom (UK)

This opulent Art Deco hotel, right in the buzzing West End, is discreet, elegant, and full of A-list stories.

Official star rating:

Z Hotel Covent Garden

London, United Kingdom (UK)

A sleek, streamlined budget option with an exclusive edge, accessed via a ‘secret’ courtyard just behind Covent Garden Piazza.

Official star rating:

The Resident Covent Garden

London, United Kingdom (UK)

Low prices without sacrificing style or comfort are the order of the day at The Resident’s smart Covent Garden address.

Official star rating:

Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

London

Greater London, United Kingdom (UK)

World-class culture, fashion, music, food and history – and a mind-boggling array of bucket list experiences – packed into one extraordinary, incomparable destination. 

Website >
Overview >

Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first

Royal Opera House

London, United Kingdom (UK)

This grand setting in Covent Garden is home to both the Royal Opera and Royal Ballet companies, and the place for lavish, spectacular performances by the world’s leading singers and dancers.

Best for ages: 18+ | £45 | 1-3 hours

Covent Garden

London, United Kingdom (UK)

This iconic and atmospheric West End square has a historic Victorian market building, street performers, restaurants and boutiques.

Best for ages: Any | Free

National Gallery

London, United Kingdom (UK)

One of the world’s greatest collections of Western European paintings, with more than 2,300 works on display from Da Vinci to Monet.

Best for ages: 18+ | Free

Other worthwhile experiences near this experience if you have time or interest..

Exterior view of the grand building surrounding a large square
Experience

Somerset House

London, United Kingdom (UK)

Famous for its picturesque alfresco ice rink in winter and the Edmund J Safra fountains in the summer, this elegant neoclassical building is also home to an art gallery and upscale restaurant.

Best for ages: 18+ | Free

Website >
Overview >
Exterior view of front facade with people walking in front
Experience

SEA LIFE London Aquarium

London, United Kingdom (UK)

London’s impressive aquarium, set on the South Bank, home to hundreds of species of fish and a selection of sharks.

Best for ages: Any | £27

Website >
Overview >

Royal Academy of Arts

London, United Kingdom (UK)

An 18th-century mansion of masterpieces sitting pretty on Piccadilly, home to one of Britain’s oldest collections of fine art and regular blockbuster exhibitions.

Best for ages: 18+ | Free